Man banned from Oakland University files $2.2 million suit against school

Joseph Corlett of Lake Orion, with a copy of his writing assignment and watching the Van Halen video, “Hot for Teacher” on his laptop computer. Corlett, 57, was suspended from Oakland University for three semesters and barred from campus after writing an explicit Advanced Critical Writing assignment about his teacher. (Tim Thompson/For the Daily Tribune)

An Orion Township man who was suspended and banned from Oakland University after writing a “Hot For Teacher” essay about his creative-writing professor has filed a $2.2 million lawsuit against the school.

Attorneys for Joseph Corlett, 57, who has been banned from campus since January 2012, filed the suit Friday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleging that Corlett’s free speech rights have been violated.

The Oakland University Board of Trustees, along with Oakland University President Gary Russi and Vice President Mary Beth Snyder, are named in the suit.

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Russi and Snyder “were sued in both their official and individual capacities, which means that if a jury finds that Mr. Corlett’s rights were violated, the defendants may be required to pay him out of their own pocketbooks,” reads a press release issued by attorneys Alari Adams and Kyle Bristow.

“Although Mr. Corlett was previously encouraged by Prof. Mitzelfeld to write essays that contained sexual themes — and, in fact, received high grades for such essays — employees of Oakland University saw fit to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Corlett, which led to him being banished from campus through a suspension that lasted three academic semesters, receiving an ‘incomplete’ grade for the writing class, and being required to attend sensitivity training if he wishes to ever return to campus,” the release states.

“Regardless of Oakland’s subjective feelings towards my client’s writings, he had the constitutional right to complete a homework assignment without being subjected to such a harsh punishment,” Adams stated in the release.

“He composed innocuous writings about an exaggerated attraction, not the second coming of ‘50 Shades of Gray.’ ”

Bristow also made a statement in the release.

“Our lawsuit could very well teach $2.2 million lessons regarding constitutional rights to the administrators of Oakland University,” he stated.

“I look forward to being their teacher.”

University officials did not immediately return a message seeking comment.